Confused about some verses and Hadith - need guidance, please
As-salamu alaykum. I’ve been thinking a lot and could use some honest, gentle advice. I was born Muslim but only really started trying to practice at 15. It’s been up and down, but Alhamdulillah for the good parts. Last week I went through a period of doubt and actually left practicing. I told myself I wouldn’t go back, but in the last day or two I’ve felt pulled towards Islam again and now I’m feeling torn. I want to return because Islam influenced my whole life - discipline, routines, faith - yet some things keep bothering me. I’ll list them so I’m clear: 1) There’s a narration in Sahih al-Bukhari about Shaytan spending the night in a person’s nose. It sounds strange and not very logical to me. How should I understand such descriptions without feeling they contradict reason? 2) The idea of “72 virgins” in paradise. Why would Allah describe reward in that way? It feels like it sexualizes paradise for men and focuses on lust, which troubles me. 3) The verse in An-Nisa about men disciplining their wives as a last resort. The Quran also instructs kindness to spouses, so it seems contradictory. How do scholars reconcile the guidance that says not to be harsh with the part some translate as permitting a light physical reprimand? 4) A hadith about mixing camel urine with milk as medicine. To me that sounds unhealthy and odd. How should we treat medical advice in some early narrations versus modern medical knowledge? 5) I saw a claim online that some hadiths permit sexual relations with female prisoners of war. That scared me and felt very wrong. Is that an accurate understanding, and if not, what’s the right context? 6) Why is cousin marriage allowed in Islam? I know it’s culturally common in some places and unacceptable in others, but I’m wondering about the reasoning and whether it’s encouraged or simply permitted. Also, I live in the UK and the social context here is complicated for Muslims - dawah bros and community pressures are real. I don’t want disrespect; I just need honest, kind explanation that fits both faith and reason. If anyone can point to reliable explanations, context from scholars, or ways to reconcile these issues that helped you come back to practice, I’d really appreciate it. Jazakum Allah khair.